"Love and Death Collide."

Greetings,

This early afternoon after ISB lecture, Fatin got a sms from her boyfriend back in Oz. I remembered the message was something made off like this;

"Steve Irwin crocodile hunter just passed away. He was stabbed by a stingray while filming a documentary. etc etc :-( we are all so sad, we etc etc..."

The first thing was my reaction was "WAH stabbed ahhh? you sure mou...not kena stung meh?"

Anyway...

Fatin was rather shocked upon receiving the dreadful news. I thought it might be some sort of hoax because this is not the first time there was news about Steve Irwin's death prior documenting with some wild life beast.

Actually this' only the second time. The first time was rumoured that Steve Irwin got killed by a crocodile. Turend out it was only a hoax. But this time, its all over the news. Read on.

Adapted from MSNBC -

Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin killed by stingray.
Internationally recognized environmentalist, 44, was filming documentary.

CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the “Crocodile Hunter,” was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

Steve Irwin

Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called “Ocean’s Deadliest” when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous bard on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said.

“He came on top of the stingray and the stingray’s barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart,” said Stainton, who was on board Irwin’s boat at the time.

Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said.

Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword “Crikey!” in his television program “Crocodile Hunter.” First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity.

He rode his image into a feature film, 2002’s “The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course” and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction.

Steve with wife Terri and daughter Bindi Sue Irwin.

“The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet,” Stainton told reporters in Cairns. “He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, ’Crocs Rule!”'

Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was “shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin’s sudden, untimely and freakish death.”

“It’s a huge loss to Australia,” Howard told reporters. “He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people.”

Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots.

His ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally.

Irwin’s public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him.

Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart.

“It was extraordinarily bad luck. It’s not easy to get spined by a stingray and to be killed by one is very rare,” Collin said.

News of Irwin’s death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters of society.
At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their horns as they passed.

“We’re all very shocked. I don’t know what the zoo will do without him. He’s done so much for us, the environment and it’s a big loss,” said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate.

Stainton said Irwin’s American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December. The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin’s Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the “Crocodile Huntress,” she costarred on her husband’s television show and in his 2002 movie.

Steve Irwin's vibrancy and enthusiasm were an inspiration amid the drab cynicism of the modern world. Whether or not we are into wildlife, Steve's pure "joie de vivre"- and his dramatic death - should be a reminder to all of us to live life to the full while we have the chance. He may not have been given long but he didn't waste a minute - go thou and do likewise.

End of Article.

In case you don't know who is this Steve Irwin guy, Steve is an Australian naturalist, and a wildlife expert. His fame sparked off with his television programme series, "The Crocodile Hunter" and there on he was best known as more of a television personality than a naturalist.

He became known worldwide for his exuberant, enthusiastic (sometimes exaggerating) presenting style, broad Australian accent, constant donning of his trademark khakis and heavy boots and catch-phrase "Crikey!".

Steve was killed yesterday, at about 1.00pm+ in the noon in Malaysian time, by a bull ray while diving and filming his own documentary.

Steve's death is all over the net. Even Steve Irwin's article in Wikipedia has been updated prior his death. I wouldn't really call Steve's death a "freak incident".

He died in a way everyone expected - getting way too close to a dangerous animal.

He wouldn't have been Steve Irwin if he hadn't had such a cavalier attitude to the dangers of the wildlife he brought to Australia's attention on his show. So truly, this man has died for us.

Died so that he could bring the people of the world yet another glimpse of the fascinating world of other creatures we usually ignore, in our cosseted lives.

Died from a sting through the heart - Steve Irwin has died in a manner that will ensure his legacy is never tarnished by history, for it sums up his life in one cold moment.

Vale Steve Irwin, we are all going to miss you :(

Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006).

"Crikey!" Rest in Peace.

- take care and God bless, everyone.


- jW's.